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The Tsunami Relief Task Force will sell bracelets that read “Hope” in eight languages.
S. Rosen-Amy / The Miscellany News
published on 04/08/05
Tsunami relief sells "hope" bracelets
Hayley Tsukayama 
Staff Writer
Vassar’s Tsunami Relief Task Force (TRTF) continued their fundraising work this week, selling bracelets to raise money for victims of December’s tsunami. One thousand light blue bracelets—similar in style to the Lance Armstrong “LiveStrong” bracelets—went on sale April 4.
Each bracelet bears the word “Hope” in eight languages: English, Japanese, Spanish, Chinese, French, Russian, German, and Arabic.
The TRTF sold the bracelets in the College Center from April 4 to April 8 (and also through individual Task Force members) for $3 a bracelet or $10 for five bracelets, according to Vivek Mahapatra ’05, leader of the Force.
The bracelet fundraiser is the product of students at Pepperdine University’s Seaver Liberal Arts College in Malibu, California. “Joe [Wildfire ’05] got an e-mail from Pepperdine’s [Student Association] President, and he asked me if we would be interested,” said Mahapatra. In that e-mail from Pepperdine’s Student Association President Carl Kasalek, Kasalek called the campaign, “One Cause. One Hope. One World.”
“‘Hope’ is a good word to use,” said Mahapatra of how to describe the situation in countries affected by the tsunami. He went on to say that hope and support are what the affected countries need most right now and that the bracelets are an way to show that everyone believes “things will be better.”
Vassar now joins dozens of colleges nationwide in the sale of these bracelets. Approximately 35,000 to 40,000 have been distributed, according to Kasalek’s e-mail. The bracelets cost 50 cents each to order. Mahapatra said that the Office of the President paid for the bracelets.
The TRTF has several other events planned, most notably the TRTF concert at 6 p.m. on April 8. “It will feature Premium Brew, Vassar Devils, and the Night Owls,” said Mandira Singh ’07, member of the Task Force and coordinator for the event. The event is free, but there is a suggested donation of $3.
All proceeds from bracelet sales go to LankaKids, a charity to help children of Sri Lanka.
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Alumnae/i posters are strongly encouraged to include their class year with their name. The maximum length for comments is approximately 100 words; longer responses should be submitted as letters to the editor to misc@vassar.edu. More information about our letters policy can be found on our Policies page.
